Ecuador Ends Electricity Rationing Before Holidays

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa announced the end of electricity rationing effective December 20, marking a significant relief for citizens who have endured power outages of up to 14 hours daily for three months. The government attributed the outages to the worst drought in decades and Colombia's cessation of energy exports to Ecuador. Noboa highlighted improvements in infrastructure and recent heavy rains as factors enabling the resumption of normal service. He thanked Ecuadorians for their resilience during the crisis, which has resulted in collective business losses of approximately $7.5 billion. Noboa also pointed to climate change and past governmental mismanagement as contributors to the energy crisis, while recently approved legislation aims to encourage private investment in the electricity sector.